Where Bureau County United Way dollars go ...

Published: Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012 11:40 a.m. CST

Bureau Valley Volunteer Hospice was established in 1993 as a not-for-profit agency offering supportive services to the terminally ill and their families in the Bureau Valley area. We focus on comfort and quality of life when there is no cure.

Facing death can be sometimes frightening, overwhelming and lonely. There is relief in knowing that professional help is available to bear the emotional and physical burden of this challenging journey. We remain dedicated to providing quality, compassionate care to our patients and their families free of charge. We are committed to getting individuals or families through the loss of a loved one. We offer bereavement care to families for at least 12 months following the loved one’s passing as well as hosting a monthly grief and loss support group. Our support group is available to anyone in the community that is grieving. Join us on the third Tuesday of each month at 2:30 p.m. in the chapel at Perry Memorial Hospital.

Healthcare is expensive, and the burden of caring for a loved one can be tremendous. A large portion of our client base has been uninsured or not eligible for Medicare and cannot afford the daily rate charged by profit hospice agencies. Our agency also bridges the gap for individuals who do not meet the strict admission guidelines set forth by Medicare. We can also help any person with a life limiting illness that resides within the Bureau Valley area regardless of their ability to pay. If you are in need of assistance or interested in volunteering, please call Pat or Kim at our office, 815-876-3375.

We are one of three remaining volunteer hospices in the state of Illinois. We do not receive money from insurance companies or Medicare. Our agency is funded solely through generous gifts of time and money donated by individuals, corporations and organizations as well as memorial gifts and fundraising. We are proud to be a Bureau County United Way agency. With the recent downturn of the economy and the rise of numerous Medicare hospices in the area, our donations have been considerably less than in past years. We rely on the community for financial support to provide care to our patients and to maintain our agency. The dollars you give to us ensure that much needed supplemental funding will help sustain our agency as well as other health and human service agencies here in Bureau County. Please consider a donation today!

The Bureau Valley Volunteer Hospice can be contacted at 815-876-3375. The Bureau County United Way is located at 401 S. Main St. in Princeton and provides funding help for 15 local non-profit member agencies, as well as providing a variety of community services. Call the Bureau County United Way at 815-872-0821 for information on how you can lend a helping hand to those in need in Bureau County.